New Reviews by Title: K-O

Kelsey Jaffer and Ines del Castillo team up to deliver this touching epistolary novel featuring heartfelt narrations. The story begins when Frida, who is living in Paris, contacts the Seattle bookstore where Kate works in search of a book. Known for her friendly demeanor, Kate is chosen to correspond with Frida. As their friendship grows through a shared love of books and... Read More

The affection many listeners will feel for the Australian author during the opening passages of this audiobook will grow steadily as he describes overcoming personal challenges on his way to becoming a successful actor, husband, and father. With his humility and perspective, his stories from childhood to the present (he's 60 now) are captivating, and the lessons he shares are... Read More

Narrator Daniel Henning takes on this detailed account of the shooting by National Guardsmen of students who were protesting the Vietnam War at Kent State University in 1970. Presented as a timeline with context but few digressions, it recounts the events from all sides: the National Guard's, politicians', Kent State administrators', students', parents', and local residents'.... Read More

Narrators Kristen Sieh and Daru Oda serve up a darkly humorous, twisty ride in this debut. Evie Gordon is an SAT tutor for wealthy kids in L.A. When she discovers the murdered family of one of her students, along with an unknown woman named Jae who is still alive, she and Jae become the prime murder suspects and go on the run. Sieh, who voices Evie, handles most of the... Read More

Narrator Karissa Vacker gives a solid performance of this intriguing winter-themed thriller. Theo, who is estranged from her adoptive parents, doesn't know anything about her birth mother or how she came to be adopted. Vacker believable portrays Theo's confusion and need to know about her origins after she finds a picture of herself as a toddler in a remote cabin on her wealthy... Read More

Tony Keith, Jr.--poet, rapper, and hip-hop educator--uses his cultural observations, edgy politics, and sharp ear for concise wordplay and fast rhymes to get the attention of the audience that needs him most: disenfranchised Black school kids he affectionately calls "knuckleheads." With brash and evocative poem titles like "If You Fail to Plan, Then Plan to Fail," "Because When... Read More

Emma Rydal's intense performance as Margot, a child living with her cannibalistic mother ("Mama"), will remain with listeners long after the devastating climax of this audiobook. Throughout her childhood, lost and wayward travelers of all ages, people deemed "strays," are lured inside their home, where they're murdered and eaten. All of this Rydal recounts to listeners with the... Read More

Henrietta Meire shows remarkable vocal range in this audiobook featuring multiple human and dragon languages and accents. Vivian aims for an internship studying dragon languages, but when her parents are arrested as rebels, she sets free a dragon that starts a civil war. Desperate, she accepts a job as a code breaker to help the war effort and is tasked with deciphering the one... Read More

This long, drawn-out audiobook is a fictional account of the ultra-glamorous lives of two of the richest women of all time, Barbara Hutton and Doris Duke. The smooth, nonjudgmental voice of narrator Whitney Dykhouse describes their lifestyles. Listeners hear about designer clothes, priceless jewels, and sumptuous meals; valuable antique furnishings, enchanting villas, and... Read More

David Thorpe, who has narrated many works of fiction, does a very good job with this history of Budapest from the end of WWI. At that time, the city was home to various political movements, besides being a splendid center of culture. In the spring of 1944, Hungary was invaded by the Germans, and the large Jewish population was then at the mercy of the Axis powers. When Budapest... Read More

When Nancy's life implodes after a psychotic break, trouble seems to follow her: A neighbor in her new apartment building commits suicide. Sophie Roberts's gripping narration brings every layer of this psychological thriller to life. As Nancy begins to hear strange voices in her new flat, Roberts keeps listeners questioning what's going on. She captures Nancy's initial fragile... Read More

Earl Weaver, the legendary manager of MLB's Baltimore Orioles for 17 seasons, was known for his on-field theatrics as much as his strategy. Johnny Heller's gravelly voice, conversational tone, and high energy do a good job of conveying Weaver's character. Heller is mostly comfortable with the baseball jargon and stats--always a potential pitfall for narrators--and even with the... Read More

Three narrators--Karissa Vacker, portraying anxious Kerry; Erin Bennett, portraying determined Siobhan; and Julie Webster, voicing upbeat Alison--take on this tale of horror. When Kerry arrives midwinter at an empty Catskills motel supposedly vacated by Siobhan that morning, she's confronted with two feet of snow and a dead body. Later, when the body disappears, Kerry, an... Read More

Laysha Ward narrates her own story with clarity, confidence, and a comforting tone. She invites listeners of all ages and backgrounds to reflect on the lessons she learned from her 32-year corporate career. Ward also shares guidance she received from luminaries like Coretta Scott King and Maya Angelou. With sincerity and strength, she encourages listeners to know themselves,... Read More

In this mystery set in the near future, listeners join recently widowed DCS Kat Frank and Lock, an Artificially Intelligent Detective Entity (AIDE). They're working together as part of the newly formed Future Policing Unit to investigate the horrific murders of two men. Rose Akroyd's professional narration creates a believable AI character in Lock as it tries to navigate the... Read More

For a third and final time, Sophie Aldred's narration takes listeners into the dystopian world of outlaws Scarlett McCain and Albert Browne. Aldred's depictions of the many characters define and distinguish them fluidly, especially the main characters. At the same time, Aldred builds the tension in several ways: There are the action-filled moments of robbery and ambushes and... Read More

This audiobook adaptation of the graphic novel features a stellar cast and vibrant soundtrack. Sébastien, portrayed by Ramón de Ocampo with a French accent, is freshly moved into a new apartment and ready to finally learn magic. Elia, depicted suavely by Fajer Al-Kaisi in an Italian accent, is the hot supermodel vampire next door. Alexander Cendese voices Sébastien's adorable... Read More

Marni Penning portrays Callie McCallahan, who returns to her hometown of Hoker, Kentucky, when she inherits her uncle's property. The land abuts a tree farm belonging to Tanner Patrick, who had a crush on Callie in high school, though she never noticed him. Callie's cousin is staying with her, and Penning gives her a timid voice, matching her personality. When Callie's... Read More

Narrator Robert Petkoff teams up with author John Sandford for another exhilarating romp featuring U.S. Marshal Lucas Davenport and Bureau of Criminal Apprehension agent-turned-thriller-writer Virgil Flowers. Assigned to solve a twenty-year-old crime, they're forced to collaborate with true-crime bloggers to crowdsource clues. Petkoff masterfully differentiates the diverse male... Read More

With deft interpretations and stunning vocal control, Emily Rankin and Caroline Hewitt bring this fascinating historical mystery to life. The casting is on point, bringing enough variation to the main characters to allow easy differentiation. The story spans a century of time and three generations of women. Rankin brings the listener along as Tildy Barrows, head curator of an... Read More

Richard Russo is thoughtful and reflective as he narrates his new collection of essays, which has two parts. The first half, "Life," focuses on his family and his blue-collar hometown in upstate New York; the second half, "Art," delves into the writing process and how writers essentially steal ideas from the world around them. He poignantly states, "All art thrives on... Read More

This ambitious novel, narrated by Saskia Maarleveld, follows Penelope as she leaves her native Canada for college at the University of Edinburgh. Once in Scotland, Pen seeks out her father's estranged friend, Lord Lennox, who she thinks might be behind her parents' divorce. Lord Lennox, now a famous writer, invites Pen to his family's famed British estate, where she finds... Read More

Brian Nishii delivers a performance that could not be better suited to this touching, well-documented personal growth audiobook. The author, a psychology professor and native of Japan, explains through vivid personal stories and accessible research that meaning and purpose in life are not enough. We can stay busy working for something we believe in, something important, but... Read More

In this audio original, a follow-up to her 2019 book, CONSCIOUS, Annaka Harris continues her exploration of consciousness through recorded interviews with 20 experts in philosophy and a variety of sciences. As a listening experience, the interviews are often pleasantly chatty, and the author's command of her subject allows listeners to stay connected to the core ideas in her... Read More

This audiobook chronicles and contrasts the presidencies of Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis, both born in Kentucky. The comparison ends there. Davis was a West Point graduate and Mexican War veteran. Lincoln had little formal schooling and almost no military experience. Yet they faced off in the Civil War, and ultimately Lincoln's courage in issuing the Emancipation... Read More

Daniel and Alexander Macmillan were sons of a Scottish crofter. Together, they founded a small publishing company in London in 1843. By the time Alexander died in 1896, they had published Lewis Carroll, Thomas Hardy, and Rudyard Kipling, among many others. This audio biography of the brothers and their company, narrated by the author, focuses more on the creation and growth of... Read More

Matt Bomer's narration brings a steady and thoughtful presence to an emotionally intense novel. Four college classmates try to make it big in New York City: Jude, a trauma survivor; Andy, a doctor and former law professor; and Harold Stein, whose wife, Judy, is also a major player. Bomer's approach to dialogue subtly differentiates the four friends. His portrayal of Jude... Read More

An audiobook for the soul. This exquisite work of nature writing celebrating Scotland's Cairngorms mountains remains a classic of ecological observation. Tilda Swinton's rendition of Nan Shepherd's poetic prose mesmerizes. Her tone is exceptionally clear, her pace adds drama, and her style of narrating is immersive. Written in the 1940s, the book remained unpublished until the... Read More

Amy Alexander lends her voice to the second installment of McCall Smith's Perfect Passion Company series. As Katie settles into her new role of running her cousin's matchmaking business, she finds herself growing closer to her neighbor, William, a visiting Australian textile artist. With William's help, Katie works to find mates for an influx of new clients who are all looking... Read More

Hot on the heels of the 50th anniversary of "Saturday Night Live," Susan Morrison's tell-all biography of SNL creator Lorne Michaels helps satisfy fans' need for behind-the-scenes info about the beloved show. Narrator Kristen DiMercurio is as reserved as Michaels himself in her delivery. The audiobook traces Michaels's humble beginnings in Toronto and his bumpy rise to... Read More

This reality-based story set in Belfast in the 1980s and today illuminates the dangers and challenges experienced by gay men in the past and present. Listeners meet young Billy, who is portrayed by Patrick Moy, and older Billy, who is portrayed by Ruairi Conaghan. Conaghan's depressed and jobless Billy gets a call from a childhood neighbor telling him of his long-estranged... Read More

Little Flower is poor but talented--and she has beautiful feet, which is unusual for a woman of low status in early-nineteenth-century China. Katharine Chin delivers a striking performance, enriching this novel's historical setting with expressive storytelling. She conveys Little Flower's coming of age at a time of great strife and intrigue in a voice that blends fragility and... Read More

Rebecca Lowman's propulsive narration brings listeners into the tensions of a couple whose affair leads them into danger. Nick, a high-powered attorney, and Jenny, a successful novelist, have secretly met for six years. Each lies to their spouse, so they can spend one night in a Manhattan luxury hotel. When fire alarms go off, Nick and Jenny try to leave the room but are told... Read More

Eric Yang blends tension and restraint as he narrates this novel, set in a reunified Korea, where the line between human and robot is constantly blurred. Estranged siblings Jun and Morgan reunite to uncover the mystery behind their missing sibling, Yoyo. Yang brings a tough compassion to Jun, a detective in the Robot Crimes Unit, whose latest case involving a missing robot... Read More

Ivan Mok, Quyen Ngo, and a full cast narrate this award-winning 2020 graphic novel. Mok portrays 13-year-old English-speaking Tien, and Ngo portrays his mother, Helen, a Vietnamese refugee. Mok shows Tien's confusion as he crushes on a male classmate. Ngo conveys Helen's despair at losing her own mother and her longing for the past. Mother and son have always bridged language... Read More

Who knew the dunk was illegal at one time? Landon Woodson narrates its story, which involves a rich history. His clear diction, interested tone, and appropriate inflections enliven the biographical portraits of little-known and well-known athletes and others. Woodson remains involved throughout every chapter and, despite a couple of missteps in pronunciation, does a fine job.... Read More

Writer Brad Meltzer is one of those rare people whose voice exudes sincerity, honesty, and a love of humanity. This brief work is largely based on the commencement speech he gave at his son's graduation from the University of Michigan. As anyone who's ever attended a speech by Meltzer knows, his words are always inspiring and real. Here, he talks about his own career and life,... Read More

Cynthia Farrell tackles the challenges of narrating the fictional biography of the divisive Malinalli, known as La Malinche in Mexico. Malinalli's peaceful and loving family life is shattered when her brother and father are murdered by the Aztec emperor Moctezuma. Malinalli then finds herself given to the conquistador Hernán Cortés and becomes his interpreter. Using her... Read More

With his appealing baritone, Golden Voice Stefan Rudnicki draws listeners into this first outing of Inspector Alan Grant. An unidentified man is stabbed while waiting in a long line to see the final London performance of a popular musical comedy. Grant can't understand how none of the others in the queue saw anything. Nonetheless, he takes the few clues he has and begins his... Read More

Prévost's 1731 novel of a flawed and tragic love is richly served by two fine performers. Sean Barrett plays the framing part of an older man to whom Manon's lover, the Chevalier des Grieux, tells the story of their blighted romance. Barrett's warm, rich, slightly raspy timbre brings gravity and warmth to his role. His intelligence especially shines as he narrates the... Read More

This audiobook provides an extraordinary exploration of Anne Frank's life from her early years to her tragic demise, emphasizing the enduring significance of her diary through various media such as books, theater, and more. Narrator Erin Bennett approaches the text with profound respect for Anne and her memory while skillfully conveying the numerous other narratives within the... Read More

Talented actors Lesley Manville and Tim McMullen bring drama and rich characterizations to their narration, just as they do in the Masterpiece television adaptations of Horowitz's series. Their dynamic performances create an audiobook experience that's fun, immersive, and expertly voiced. Though this may be the final installment, ample backstory allows new listeners to jump... Read More

Mary Robinette Kowal narrates her latest science fiction novel, putting her skills to excellent use in the fourth installment of the Lady Astronaut series. It's the 1950s, and Elma York has just landed on Mars to prep the planet for its first group of settlers. A pilot and mathematician, Elma has already paved the way for women in space, but now she faces unexpected hurdles:... Read More

Jeremy Arthur's engaging narration befits the life story of Dr. Albert C. Barnes (1872-1951), an early collector of modern art and champion of minority art. Raised in a working-class environment, Barnes made his fortune in pharmaceuticals. He proceeded to use his wealth to study art, eventually building an extensive collection that became the Barnes Foundation. His friendship... Read More

Elyse Durham's debut novel takes listeners from the 1941 Siege of Leningrad through the Cold War via the lives of Maya and Natasha, twin orphaned sisters. Illegitimate daughters of a prima ballerina who died shortly after their birth, they are raised and trained by the state to live their mother's destiny in the Kirov School of Ballet. Yelena Shmulenson's narration captures... Read More

Narrators C.J. Bloom and Alexander Cendese deliver hilarious performances in this contemporary romantic comedy. Juniper Perry has always had a secret crush on her best friend's older brother, Beau. Now as they work together on a dating app, Juniper can finally flirt with him anonymously. Bloom's expressive, upbeat performance perfectly balances Juniper's quick wit,... Read More

Author and mortality expert Joanna Ebenstein sounds lovely in this sincere and well-organized reminder that death is coming, so live now as well as you can. Performing this audiobook (whose title is Latin for "remember you must die"), she is a gentle messenger, full of grace and charm as she explains how writers, thinkers, and people in ancient cultures embraced mortality to... Read More

Alison Larkin's bright narration takes listeners to the charming fictional town of Middlemarch, England. Individual goals, loves, and desires intertwine as early-nineteenth-century characters find themselves navigating restrictive social norms amid political and social change. Larkin's narration captures the complex residents as they come to terms with the new world they find... Read More

Fans of "Bridgerton" will devour this audio-only contemporary romance narrated by screen actors Nicola Coughlan and Gwilym Lee. Hattie Murton, reluctant star of the fictional TV show "Leicester Square," lives her worst nightmare when the screenwriters create a love arc for her with her unpleasant costar, Anthony Rafe. Coughlan channels Hattie's underdog quality, and her... Read More

Boyd Barrett flawlessly brings to life the eccentric but lovable residents of a small town in Georgia. Listeners meet independent Sarah Lapis Harris--"Slappy"--who buys her family's home at auction, angering her seven brothers. As she settles in, she's continually interrupted by her junk-collecting, sermonizing, flirty neighbor, Fin--who is rendered to perfection. The town is... Read More

Canadian author James Arnett's historical fiction tells a little-known chapter of America's first civil war, the Revolutionary War. Simon Vance narrates with the gravitas of a history professor, highlighting the motivations and humanity of two Loyalist farmers, Richard Lippincott and James Moody. Lippincott, a Quaker, is trying to live a peaceful life amid the guerrilla... Read More

In a youthful voice, Elena Rey introduces an Oregon school and library that are in danger of shutting down. Listeners meet bright, empathic 13-year-old Alex and her beloved grandmother, a retired librarian she's lived with since her mother's death. Rey's scenes of library staff, patrons, and youth council kids are delightfully rendered. Listeners are privy to Alex's nervous... Read More

Eiren Caffall lives with polycystic kidney disease, a congenital disorder that killed most of her family members before they were 50. Her performance is graceful and authentic, and she draws the listener into her story with a clear voice and lyrical pacing. Caffall parallels her own ticking time bomb with the developing disaster in the ocean. Her beloved Long Island Sound and... Read More

Blair Baker narrates this sci-fi mystery. Dorothy Gentleman is a detective aboard the HMS FAIRWEATHER, an interstellar passenger ship--spaceship, that is. To her surprise, she wakes up in an unfamiliar body just as a murder victim is found, a situation that leads to several more terrible developments. Baker's depiction of Dorothy's initial confusion over her predicament quickly... Read More

Kelly Marie Tran is an excellent choice of narrator for a novel that follows four Vietnamese American cousins whose lives are drastically altered when a wave of violence leads to their community's internment. While Ursula and Alvin remain free, Jen and Duncan are sent to a detention camp, where they struggle with isolation and the harsh conditions. When Jen secretly finds a way... Read More

Joseph O'Connor's wonderful thriller is inspired by the true story of the Irish envoy to the Vatican in 1943, Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty. Narrated in a series of individual monologues by a cast of extraordinary voice actors, this first in a proposed trilogy is emotionally moving and thrilling. With sadistic Obersturmbannführer Hauptmann and the Nazis occupying Rome but forbidden... Read More

Mark Niemann-Ross's kind, patient delivery fittingly introduces his favorite--and only--mother-in-law. Listeners meet feisty, active Greta, who resides in Evergreen Meadows Senior Community, where her daughter and son-in-law take up temporary residence to spend time with her. Niemann-Ross's colorful descriptions include Evergreen's residents, staff, meals, and social... Read More

Fredrik Backman, the talented Swedish novelist, is a witty writer and a keen observer. Golden Voice narrator Marin Ireland grandly performs this story of art, friendship, and what it means to be a teen. Ireland replicates the snarky tone of Louisa, who has just released herself from foster care to go see the work of art that is the fulcrum of the plot. Ireland captures the... Read More

Actor Jeremy Renner narrates his memoir about the horrendous injuries he suffered on New Year's Day 2023. In a freak accident, he was run over by his 14,000-pound Sno-Cat, a vehicle used to groom snowy and icy surfaces. Neither his prose nor his narration is stellar; he uses street language, occasionally pauses mid-sentence, and runs words together at ends of sentences.... Read More

Narrator Jess Nahikian brings to life this collection of bizarre short stories set in the American Southwest. Whether purely human or supernatural, each of the short stories in this collection examines a woman trapped in a state of terror. Even when the supernatural element is just a metaphor, stories of a ghostly prospector haunting the bathroom of a college campus, media... Read More

Kirt Graves and Evan Parker charm listeners with this steamy rom-com featuring two 40-something queer men. Kent Lester takes pride in his career as a school principal, but his personal life suffers from a lack of romance. Enter Vincent Manda, a sweet, if high-strung, man with whom Kent has an awkward one-night stand. While both men hope to forget what wasn't their finest dating... Read More

Evan, an orphan and trained killer, is back in this riveting thriller. While the author does a magnificent job with pacing and story development, he shines with dialogue. And Scott Brick is sensational. Anything Brick narrates is a sure bet, and he really is at his best here. Evan and his pal Tommy have a falling out and find themselves at odds with each other. Complicating... Read More

Scott Brick narrates a fantastical adventure that blends science fiction and cosmic horror. Cammie, an astrophysicist, is part of the first team sent to study the Nether anomaly. Researchers believe the anomaly might be a means to travel deeper into the universe, but there are signs that ancient beings have already explored it. Brick plays with rhythm and cadence to build... Read More

Journalist and television personality Juan Williams's audiobook arrives four decades after his first book, EYES ON THE PRIZE (1987), which covered the mid-twentieth-century Civil Rights movement. This work argues that Barack Obama's presidency and the development of the social media age reflect the emergence of a second civil rights movement. Fueled in part by police killings... Read More

The personal approach of the author's narration is perfect for this nonfiction title about the art of conversation. Jefferson Fisher promotes connection rather than division, and his country drawl ensures that his message is relatable and real. The three "c"s of communication-- control, confidence, and connection--will resonate with listeners because of Jefferson's... Read More

Philanthropist Melinda French Gates, a woman of significant personal and financial means and privilege, deftly writes and narrates this relatively brief reflection on life's transitions. Gates focuses on the days that follow a series of catastrophic events. The ex-wife of Microsoft Founder Bill Gates provides a helpful, consistent, upbeat text and audio performance. Her warm... Read More

A spooky collection of short stories drawn from previous collections and a few new ones are brought to life by a quartet of talented narrators. The short stories offer an eclectic variety of horror tales, some ideal for a quick listen. Gerard Logan, Caroline Lennon, Mark Meadows, and Jeff Harding bring the bizarre plots to life in sinister tones. Plots range from fictional... Read More

A new contribution to the exciting stories of women who fought against the Third Reich, this audiobook is narrated by Gilli Messer with excellence. Providing various accents and voices, Messer brings honesty and insight to the story's characters. Elena Bruskina is a young Jewish woman who becomes a sniper for the Soviet Union after seeing her family murdered in the Minsk... Read More

Gilli Messer narrates a horror novel about a mysterious tropical island that is home to a resort run by a religious cult. Julia is a struggling journalist who is barely surviving a divorce and separation from her daughter. Her great-aunt offers her a large sum of money to travel to the island to retrieve samples of a special flower and learn the truth about a mysterious death.... Read More

Many authors focus on championship teams that are in the spotlight and have banners hanging from the rafters. But John Glionna has turned his attention to a sleepy town on the Nevada-Oregon border called McDermitt, which participates--when it's able to--in eight-man high school football. Narrator Danny Campbell's slightly scratchy timbre fits the American West, and his engaged... Read More

Vikas Adam masterfully draws listeners into this nonstop thriller featuring disgraced former NYPD detective Sami Kierce. The story begins with a secret from more than 20 years earlier, when Sami, fresh from college, backpacked through Europe and had a brief romance with a beautiful American woman. Fast-forward to the present: Twists and turns come quickly as Sami investigates... Read More

Narrating with a steady, measured rhythm, NEW YORK TIMES columnist Maureen Dowd introduces the listener to the best of her long-form, in-depth interviews with some of the most recognizable personalities in popular culture. Dowd is most at ease and sounds practically playful when discussing her favorites, such Kate Winslet, Paul Newman, and Candice Bergen. She's a bit more... Read More

A fitness trainer turned executive coach offers conversational advice on being successful in a business landscape overpopulated with competitors and their ad pitches. Goodman is a wonderful teacher, down-to-earth and practical. His own entrepreneurial experiences give flesh-and-blood validity to his ideas on carving a niche for what you offer, building a customer base, and... Read More

With his erudite-sounding English accent, Justin Avoth ably narrates Nabokov's memoir of his early years in pre-Revolutionary Russia and his life as an emigré, ending with a chapter about his time as a translator for the U.S. Army in Berlin immediately after the end of WWII. A composer himself, Nabokov (first cousin of writer Vladimir Nabokov) offers many vignettes of famous... Read More

Michael Crouch leads an enthusiastic crew of narrators as he portrays Dexter Foreman, the only preteen resident of The Pines retirement village. When a visit from the truancy officer lands Dexter at the local middle school, his old-fashioned clothes and habits make him a target of curiosity and ridicule. After one of his "handyman fixes" leads to an unexpected suspension, Dex... Read More

Mark Bramhall brings enthusiasm and gravitas to the latest Joseph Finder espionage adventure novel. The improbable but gripping tale leaps into action when our protagonist Paul Brightman, a former Wall Street star who's in hiding, must outrun apparent gangsters. Years ago, he fell in love with a Russian oligarch's daughter and is now paying the price. The story alternates... Read More

This second installment brings British historian Ronald Hutton's magisterial biography of Oliver Cromwell up to 30 hours of listening time. It's a daunting undertaking for most listeners--but still short of Cromwell's term as Lord Protector of Britain 1653-58. Even so, there is much to recommend here. Narrator Nigel Patterson's fine enunciation is silken to the ear, bringing... Read More

Narrator Stephen Graybill uses a measured tone and deliberate pace to tell the raucous story of the founding and vicissitudes of National Public Radio. Longtime listeners will recognize well-known names like Bob Edwards and Susan Stamberg, but Oney also dives deep into how managers and producers covered controversial issues, warts and all. Oney documents the network from its... Read More

Narrator Gregory Jones deftly presents 20 lessons on privacy protection, using smooth transitions and well-timed pitch inflections to maintain listeners' attention and buy-in. The lessons provide concrete actions that are built on convincing evidence. For example, in "What the Constitution Says," the author advises on how to respond to police questioning. In "Small Data Paint... Read More

A full cast performs this love letter to home, family, and the power of connection. Over the course of 12 linked stories, each performed by a different narrator, listeners meet the young people who inhabit The Entrada, an apartment building that has been home to countless immigrants who have come to the U.S. seeking to build better lives. From shy Lila, just arrived from... Read More

How can we let go of the one we loved and lost? That's the central question that Frankie Corzo so expertly poses in her enthralling narration of this YA fantasy-romance. By day, Estrella "Noche" Villanueva is a 17-year-old who is mourning the death of her first love, Dante. But by night, Noche transforms into a Lechuza, a beautiful black owl who guides spirits to the sky.... Read More

Charlotte North returns to narrate the third--and final--audiobook in the Wilmot Sisters series, this time accompanied by Tim Paige. While visiting Scotland, Juliet briefly dances with a handsome stranger named Will she meets at a pub. Serendipity has the two meeting again several months later in Juliet's family's greenhouse. Will's best friend from college just happens to be... Read More

In this searing indictment of U.S. imperialism, journalist Omar El Akkad exposes the rot at the heart of American liberalism and the ugly truth that undergirds American democracy: It's predicated on the subjugation of marginalized people around the globe. El Akkad focuses on the genocide in Gaza but also draws on his career as a journalist in the post 9/11 years and his... Read More

Atkins's historical audiobook novel-in-verse shines a light on an important chapter of American history, beginning with the 1913 Women's March and ending with the 1920 ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment. Chanté McCormick gives the historical, mostly forgotten, Matilda Young a compelling voice. Matilda's voice gains confidence and strength as she grows from a shy... Read More

In this suspenseful story narrated by Harry McEntire, 12-year-old Atlas Wade and his father are on a team that is attempting to be the first to scale Mount Everest. A rival team of Nazi climbers is also on the mountain. McEntire's tenor voice and English accent enliven Atlas, who is angry at his father for taking him climbing when he's still grieving the death of his mother.... Read More

Veteran narrator Shiromi Arserio takes on a new role as author, and who better to narrate the audiobook than she? Former assassin Samara is hired to infiltrate a magical auction and rescue the girl who is being auctioned off. It's all the sweeter because if Samara succeeds, she will get revenge against the man who sold her as a child. The heist requires careful planning, and... Read More

Narrator Alexandra Hunter rescues a meandering fantasy and steers it into a highly enjoyable listen. She introduces Kaley Arens, who visits the islands of Bellis under the pretext of hearing new fairy tales for her dissertation. Once there, Kaley learns the islands are actually another planet. While there, she travels with companions Tanek and Sojee, watching Earth fairy tales... Read More

Mark Bramhall narrates an adventure about unlikely friends: Orris, a rat, and Timble, an owl. Bramhall's deep voice, distinct enunciations, and gentle rhythms are a perfect match. Bramhall's portraits are well defined for the young, enthusiastic Timble and the older, grumbly Orris. Bramhall deepens his characterizations of the friends' developing relationship, which faces a... Read More

Soneela Nankani delivers a grounded, evenhanded performance as she voices the inner conflict of a woman who is caught between two identities. Lata Murthy decides her actual life is too boring and creates another, more glamorous, self with potentially disastrous consequences. Nankani's style reflects Lata Murthy's shifting inner life as she steps into the world of her new... Read More

This audiobook is a love song to otters. Nearly a prose poem about the playful mammals, it is presented charmingly by narrator Jayne Entwistle. With her warm voice and English accent Entwistle becomes the author in this first-person account. She makes Darlington's text come alive. You can almost feel it as she tells of stepping onto the soft bottom of a shallow marsh and of... Read More

Sarah Slimani narrates this debut fantasy, the first installment of The Shattered Lands. Naila is a student at the magic academy who is trying hard to find her magic. Soon, she catches the attention of Haelius, the most powerful wizard, who takes it upon himself to mentor her. Slimani captures Naila's progression from an uncertain "hollow mage" who is relegated to the lowest... Read More

Ali Reynolds takes a call from Clarice, her husband's ex-wife. Clarice's husband is dead, and she is accused of his murder, but she doesn't remember doing it. Narrator Karen Ziemba ably performs this whodunit. Ali uses her artificial intelligence bot, Frigg, for the investigation. Ziemba gives the bot an upbeat, eager-to-please voice that fits Frigg's persona. She sometimes... Read More

Period music provides an apt background for a note in the initial credits informing listeners that the pronunciation in this production will be performed in the Early Modern English of Shakespeare's time. That sets up an immersive transition to the world of 61-year-old Judith, apothecary, midwife, and the last of the Bard's progeny, who must leave town after being accused of... Read More